Minneapolis-St. Paul Atlas of Ethical Eating and Drinking

The quest to eat ethically is not a simple one. Many conflicting and complementary ideas need to be considered — the welfare of animals, the environmental impact of food production, and the welfare of workers are just three broad starting points.

In 2009, working with the advice of Danny Schwartzman of Common Roots, veterinarian Will Winter of Thousand Hills Cattle company, and Jane Rosemarin from Slow Food Minnesota, we developed a brief but wide-ranging questionnaire that local food-focused businesses could complete. In 2014-15, supported by generous underwriting from Peace Coffee and Birchwood Cafe, we refreshed our existing listings and reached out to nearly 30 other businesses.

ABOUT OUR PARTNERS: Peace Coffee is on a mission to craft a delicious coffee experience in collaboration with communities around the globe. They’ve been proudly roasting, pedaling, and brewing outstanding fair-trade and organic coffee in the heart of south Minneapolis since 1996. More at: peacecoffee.com. The Birchwood Cafe serves “Good Real Food” made from scratch with fresh, local, sustainable, and organic ingredients grown by their farmer friends in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Although the cafe is located in the Seward neighborhood of Minneapolis, people drive from miles around to feel right at home. The Birchwood offers “something for everyone” on their seasonal, eclectic, and healthy menu.

3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)

We always have vegetarian options on our menu, including at least one entree. Often, we will have vegan options. We work hard to deliver a tailored, unique experience to each individual diner, every night. Part of that is listening to our guests and meeting them where they are. Vegetables are a major source of creativity in our kitchen, so we really do enjoy cooking, in some cases off the menu, for guests with diverse dietary interests.

We are conscientious of the need to source seafood responsibly. In doing so, we work with our purveyors to make the most informed choices that we can. We often use rating systems like that of Monterey Bay Aquarium to help inform those decisions. These systems are tailored to be relevant to a very large audience. Therefore, they don’t always have the ability to take into account small, sustainable fisheries that interact with overfished populations. These fishermen and women often keep up traditional, sustainable practices as caretakers of best practices.

We use filtered tap water for our tables, unless guests request otherwise.

7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?

We work very hard to educate our entire staff on where our food comes from. That creates a richer environment for everyone involved: the chefs and cooks, servers, and guests. I think our servers are quite well-educated in our sources, though we always have room to learn and educate more.

8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)

“All of our ducks and pheasants have access to pasture.
We are currently working with Pork and Plants Farm in Altura, MN to raise really delicious pasture-raised chickens, that arrive here fresh. They are some of the best chickens that I have tasted.
Unfortunately, we are very limited in this regard here in Minnesota. Our region has a deficit here. Our current system lacks demand-side pressure for fresh, pasture-raised poultry. Hopefully, we will see changes in this in the near future.”

Yes — All employees (front and back of house) are paid a minimum of $11/hour.

3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)

Yes — We always have at least one vegan Breakfast entree, at least one (often two) vegan Sandwiches (out of our five sandwiches), and at least one (often two) vegan Dinner entree. One Soup is always vegan. We bake fresh, gluten-free and vegan Donuts each day, and our seasonal Crisp is vegan and gluten-free. We can also alter most of our dishes to make them vegan.

Yes — Most of our fish falls under their best standards. MBA’s Seafood Watch is a very broad guide and sometimes we’ve offered a fish that is certified sustainable but isn’t on the MBA list. We purchase all our fish through Bullfrog Fish Farm, Coastal Seafoods, The Fish Guys, and Urban Organics and we trust them all to keep a watchful eye on the sustainability of their product.

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

The Birchwood Cafe is a trailblazer in the Twin Cities local food and sustainability movements. As one of the first five restaurants to pilot Eureka Recycling’s organics composting program, we educate our staff and guests how to “make dirt, not waste.” All to-go packaging at the cafe is made with compostable materials. We use natural cleaning products wherever possible. We source local meat and produce, which minimizes travel and storage costs. We conserve energy throughout the cafe with programmable thermostats and energy efficient appliances.

The Birchwood is also dedicated to spreading the positive power of bike riding through sponsorship of its bike team and the hosting of a Nice Ride bike-sharing station on site. The cafe was also the first business in our area to install an on-street bike parking stall. These community partnerships allow the Birchwood to literally “be the change” we want to see in our world and lead our industry toward more sustainable practices.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

85% depending on the season. We source locally as much as we possibly can, for every ingredient we serve.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

When something is not available locally, we look for a suitable organic/fair trade alternatives from our vendors. We serve sustainable (organic, biodynamic and some fair trade) wine. One of the suppliers we work with is Co-op Partners Warehouse, certified as an organic distributor by the USDA-accredited certification agency MOSA (Midwest Organic Services Association).

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

Yes in Minneapolis. St. Paul, No. Composting services are not available in Ramsey county. Food waste collection for Pigs is available. However, I believe it produces inferior quality meat do not participate in these programs.

Nearly 100% of the time. We favor them for Pacific Seafood. Some of the East Coast fisheries and watch programs differ in opinion so we generally go with the average ( since we are only chefs and not scientists) For Example, North Atlantic Swordfish can be a hot topic. The Biomass has returned to historical healthy volumes in large areas and many feel that harpooned fish are a good sustainable option. After a bit of investigation we agree, although not all watch programs do.

Yes. We serve Cedar Summit dairy and Organic Valley. We only serve conventional when our normal supply is out of stock or unavailable.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

Hard to caclulate. Maybe 33%. Most Pork and poultry we source are on primarily grain based diets. We are working with our producer to improve feed quality. We serve 1000 hills cattle beef, Northstar Bison and lamb and they are both 100% Grass /pasture/ hay.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

33% — I listed 33% to represent our purchases from 1000 Cattle & Lucky Pig. While both Kadejan poultry and Heritage Berkshire pork are free roam operations that allow the animals to forage, the bulk of their diets come from whole grain rations. They are not 100% pasture raised and I cannot list them as such. In fact, I know of no suppliers in the State of MN that raise consistent, superior eating quality poultry or pork strictly on pasture that can provide the volume of product we need on a weekly basis (1500 -2000 lbs pork, 1800 – 2500 lbs chicken) We do support a couple small producers who are attempting this endeavor, but it only provides us meat of a supplemental volume. We will certainly be first in line when a 100% pasture pork and poultry operation can provide fresh meat on a twice-weekly basis.

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%

All of our beef is Grass Fed from 1,000 Hills Cattle Co. So it is 100% pastured (weather permitting), gras/hay fed and hormone/antibiotic free.

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

It varies from season to season. 50-60% Winter / Spring and then 60-65 % Summer / Fall.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We will only purchase local products if the quality and flavor is adequate. For example, no domestic cheese comes close to Parmigiano Reggiano in flavor or quality. Wisconsin Stravecchio is a horrible substitute. We will continue to use a few exceptional exported ingredients. We do not have the goal of being 100% local. Yet a very high percentage of local ingredients will always be our norm.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

I am uncertain as to the percentages of the diets coming from grass/hay, but all of those vendors grass-feed whenever possible or relevant.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

90% is pasture raised/free range. Turkey is cage-free, does this qualify? If so, then 100%

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

BLB composts, recycles all paper, glass, and cans. We also use energy efficient lighting when possible, utilizing methods to save water as well, as much seasonal prep as possible. We may seek LEED in future depending on capabilities of building.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

65-70% and striving for more. More local sources for produce available in summer.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

As much as possible, I speak to all my reps regarding sustainable and local product to encourage them to carry it and tell me when they get it in. I push them by letting them know when I buy product elsewhere on that basis so they will try to compete by carrying it.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

While we do not use organic milk and butter in our kitchen, all are hormone/antibiotic free.

Cheeses have a wide range of quality at this time – from organic to conventional. All are hormone/antibiotic free as far as I’m aware.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

All — We work with Hidden Stream Farm for pork sausage, bacon, ham and beef. They pride themselves on using a grass based system.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

All, see above

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

see above

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

We use only biodegradable / compostable to go containers and to go service ware. We use CFC’s and LED lighting entirely. We focus on Community Supported Agriculture and Farmer’s Markets during the growing season to reduce shipped produce, we recycle and collect for a variety of re-use purposes, seek chlorine-free paper products, nearly all staff can walk, bike or bus to work easily.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Of the “main ingredients” in our bakery — butter, dairy, eggs, flour are all local — so most menu items run 80 to 90% local.

Cafe — butter, eggs, cheeses, meats are all local, veggies are almost completely local in the growing season – then about 20% outside of the season, fruits are primarily outside of the local area — overall about 70%

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We use an organic canola oil and work with Albert’s Organics and the Co-Op Partners Warehouse for many other specialty items relying on their missions to provide a high level of sustainability. We participate in an organic fruit share in the summer months. We work with local chocolatier BT McElreth, local tea master Timothy Otte of Tea Source, and work with Frontier Co-Op for spices.

We are a part of the Heartland Food Network and are committed to increase our use of sustainable sources.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?

We are happy to let people know where the food comes from — we keep track of all food purchases and print our percentage local, organic, and fair-trade on our menus and on our website. Our service staff is happy to check on sourcing of individual ingredients.

8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)

Yes, all our milk is certified organic, as is much of our cheese, yogurt, sour cream, etc.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.) Producer: Grass Run Farm

0%

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

100% — Thousand Hills Cattle

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

We source as much local produce as possible and compost virtually all
of what would regularly be wasted. We designed our kitchen to be
energy efficient including a high-efficiency water heater, an EMS hood
(it senses heat and speeds up or down based on how much cooking is
being done), and using fluorescent lighting. We used many
recycled/salvaged materials in the build out including recycled
plastic walls in the kitchen, recycled cardboard countertop, sunflower
boards tables, remilled barn wood flooring, salvaged wood table tops,
salvaged lighting, and more. Details are on our website
athttp://commonrootscafe.com/environment.htm

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

We track every purchase we make by dollar spent local, organic, or
fair-trade. In the most recent month (September 2014), 67% of all our
purchases were local. More details about our sourcing, updated
monthly are online at http://commonrootscafe.com/our-values/

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We use certified organic sources whenever possible. Over 90% of our
purchases are organic, local, or fair-trade in a typical month. Check
out last month’s numbers at http://commonrootscafe.com/our-values/

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

We work with many local producers. We have 10 tap beers and they are
always all local, featuring an array of local brewers.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

40% — Doraisamy Elk, Eichten’s Farms Buffalo

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

Elk, Lamb, Buffalo

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

All Meats are hormone and antibiotic free

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)

All packaging has been switched to biodegradable/ compostable/ recyclable

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Average of 80%

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?

Tough question and not sure what response you’re looking for. For the items that are made out of farmers market produce, I never track which farmer I buy veggies from. Eggs and butter are from the farmer and are a consistent purchase. Staples such as flour, sugar, oats, etc. are all organic and from one source that the servers know. I can elaborate more fully if you need.

8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)

Nope. Have tried, but cost puts us out of the running for our small, affordable cafe.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

We don’t sell a lot of meat, but the chorizo we get is made by a local, independent Latino butcher down the road. Don’t know his supplier.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

We:
opted for either a local and/or organic supply of inventory
purchase wind power
use compostable cups and soup to go containers
use ceramic mugs in our cafe which are washed with an environmentally friendly dish soap.
We use environmentally friendly lighting.
Cook seasonally as much as we can and preserve as much as we can for the winter months.
In addition to composting for the cafe, we are working with our surrounding food vendors at the farmers market to compost as much of their materials as possible for market days.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Just local suppliers would bring us to about 50%. Also a tough question because we sell so much coffee which is roasted down the street, but originally comes from elsewhere. There have also been choices made about purchasing organic vs. local with each of our items.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

If we cannot purchase locally, we try to purchase organically (which I will classify as sustainable for this question). Between local and/or organic food supplies, I would say we are at about 70-80%.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

Hormone/Antibiotic free, yes. We are always seeking new suppliers that are certified organic.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

Thousand Hills Cattle Co, 100% (Beef)
Shepards Song, 100% (Goat/Lamb)

Other animals would not qualify as their diet is not grass/hay? Sorry, let me know if I am misreading this question.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

Beef, 100%
Pig, has shelter but allowed to roam 100%
Goat/Lamb 100%
Chickens/Turkeys – are in birthing houses for about 30 days, then allowed to roam free, weather permitting. Average life cycle for poultry is a few months so 85%?

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

A few actually:
– We are working with Mississippi Management Watershed Organization to install various rain water conservation and filtering strategies.
– we have a composting agreement with Eureka, all waste from our operation and events are composted
– zero waste practices – we utilize everything! We make stock out of veggie scraps/bones, we use scraps to make dog food, special staff meals are made to ensure products are not wasted, compost is our last resort.
– we have a full recycling program in place
– our menu changes with the season
– energy efficient lighting
– chlorine-free paper products are used daily on the food truck

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

90%

The items that are not local are things like
– sugar
– olive oil
– salt/pepper/dried spices
– flour
– beans/lentils (although we just found a local source for some!)

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We seek out organic products at the coop or market.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

All of our dairy products come from transparent producers. Due to the prohibitive cost of certification, all might not be certified organic, however, the quality of cheese we seek can only be produced from the milk of happy, well-taken care of sheep, cows, and goats.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Reusable hand towels. Energy efficient lighting. Chlorine free paper products. Only cruelty free hand soaps. Unfortunately the City of MInneapolis requires the use of EcoLab products, however, when legally acceptable, we only use biodegradable soaps.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Currently 50% approximately. We will be working with California Street Farms this spring to grow all our our vegetables.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

All effort is made to know the producers and their practices. Our cheeses are from sustainable producers exclusively. Many of the wines we serve are naturally produced, meaning they do not use sulfites or other chemical additives. Almost all of our wines are either organically or bio-dynamically produced.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

We use re-usable glass jars for our packaging. We accept bottle returns.
We purchase as local as possible. Our glass is made in the USA.
We offer bicycle delivery. We use only compostable products for sampling.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

in season 95%
in the winter 20-30%

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

we go direct to farmers when possible and purchase organics. We have a partnership with an organic farm in Hawaii to supply our turmeric root.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

All of our dairy products come from transparent producers. Due to the prohibitive cost of certification, all might not be certified organic, however, the quality of cheese we seek can only be produced from the milk of happy, well-taken care of sheep, cows, and goats.

Subjective Questions

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Reusable hand towels. Energy efficient lighting. Chlorine free paper products. Only cruelty free hand soaps. Unfortunately the City of MInneapolis requires the use of EcoLab products, however, when legally acceptable, we only use biodegradable soaps.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Currently 50% approximately. We will be working with California Street Farms this spring to grow all our our vegetables.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

All effort is made to know the producers and their practices. Our cheeses are from sustainable producers exclusively. Many of the wines we serve are naturally produced, meaning they do not use sulfites or other chemical additives. Almost all of our wines are either organically or bio-dynamically produced.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

Most of our meat is grass feed

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

Most of our meat is hormone / antibiotic free

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

we used recycled togo containers, energy-efficient lights,
We recycle as much of our paper, glass and plastic as possible.
We use seasonal local ingredients to help cut down on shipping and fuel costs.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

appox. 85%

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

Pork and wild boar, while not grass fed, meet the remaining above criteria and are from Hidden Stream Farm and Money Creek Ranch respectively. Rabbits are from Singerhouse Farm.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

see above

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

see above

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Energy efficient lighting, ventilation, cooling and hot water. Chlorine free recycled paper products and quat and citric based cleaners and sanitizers. All of the food is seasonal. Full mixed use recycling. Environmentally friendly ice melt in winter. In house recycling of old menus for future use as scrap paper. Recycling of all laser print cartridges. Our floors are cleaned and washed with vinegar and water.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

80% to 90% depending upon the time of year.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We only buy sustainably produced products if they are available as a choice to us including items such as coffee and chocolate. Many of our beverages including wine and beer are also certified organic or sustainably produced.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

We have 50 to 60 farmers and artisans in the mix at all times so listing all of them is too time consuming. We do a great deal of work with Six Rivers Cooperative, the Hidden Stream Farm network of farms and producers and Southeast Minnesota Food Network; but we have so many more that are not part of these networks. Those three are our primary sources for a great deal of our produce, meat and fish; but it still typically takes me five to six hours to contact everyone and place our Monday orders for the coming week. An equal amount of time is spent spread out over the course of the remaining days of the week.

7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?

We know where the majority of the food in the store comes from. I have visited many of the farms myself….as well as several customers. The entire concept behind the store is to know where our food is grown/made. Most of the vendors also source local products to make their foods.

8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

I have tried to be as efficient and environmentally sound as possible here in the store. I use energy efficient lighting, many of my tables and equipment have been used, I order small amounts of food to cut down on waste….any food that doesn’t sell is donated, composted or given to a local urban chicken farmer.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

Close to 95% (and most of my vendors use local ingredients in their products as well)

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

I purchase from Co-op Partners and trust their requirements. I purchase farm direct for virtually all of my produce and meat but when I use a distributor it is Co-op Partners.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)

Yes, we have appetizers: SOUTHERN FRIED TOFU – Organic tofu sticks seasoned and fried, served with homemade BBQ sauce; also TOFU TACOS – Seasoned, fried tofu with spinach and scallions, topped with salsa and guacamole and served on corn tortillas; served with house-made tortilla chips and salsa

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

NA

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

NA

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

NA

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)

Our roastery is located in the heart of Minneapolis’ Phillips neighborhood just off the Midtown Greenway, our local bike super-highway. The building we share with numerous sustainability-minded businesses and non-profits was built as an community-led alternative to the garbage transfer station originally slated for the site.

Today our building boasts numerous features that have become standard in green buildings from rooftop gardens to geothermal heating and tons of natural light.

In this sunshiny space, we roast coffee fresh 5 days/week and run our operations. Please contact us if you are interested in a tour.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

We make sure all of our products local or otherwise are sustainable and ethically produced.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We make sure all of our products local or otherwise are sustainable and ethically produced.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

75% 1000 hills

25% Dakota farms natural beef (grass fed, and then finished on corn for the last 90 days)

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

100%

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint? (Seeking LEED-CI certification, using recycled materials in the building or in daily use, using energy-efficient lighting heating ventiliation etc., conserving water, seasonal preparation, using chlorine-free paper products, recycling)

LEED Certification

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

75%

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We make a special effort to only use fish that is in season, and sustainable.

We communicate with our distributors / vendors to ensure that we are purchasing from sustainable sources.

We have a Forager (working for all 3 restaurants) who helps source proper ingredients for us.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

We employ a living wage model based on the City of Minneapolis’ living wage ($12.61 an hour as of Feb. 2015 — adjusted annually). An employee qualifies for the living wage after they have worked 2,000 hours at the co-op.

3. Does your establishment offer vegan options? (Please cite one or two current examples)

Yes. In addition to packaged and frozen grocery options, we also offer an extensive selection of vegan items in our bakery and on our deli hot bar & salad bar. We also have a large produce department and many of our bulk items are vegan.

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Seward Co-op’s current store is a LEED gold certified building. Sustainable feature and practices include, but are not limited to:

Sustainable Site:
We have rejuvenated “brownfield” or dilapidated site.
The site is designed to capture and retain at least 90% of storm water.
We added 25% more green space to the site than zoning requires.
White roofing material has been installed to minimize heat island effects.

Energy & Atmosphere:
The building’s heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) and electric systems are designed to improve efficiency 17.5% above code requirements.
The co-op purchased “green power certificates,” allowing us to use renewable power, replacing 70% of the power drawn from the local grid.

Materials & Resources:
More than 95% of construction waste from the site was diverted from landfills.
20% of construction materials were made from recycled materials.
10% of construction materials were regional.

Indoor Environmental Quality:
Low volatile organic compound-emitting paints, coatings, carpets, adhesives and sealants were used in the building.
The building design allows for daylight to penetrate 75% of regularly inhabited spaces.
Automated lighting controls are sensitive to daylight penetration.
For the comfort and well-being of workers and occupants, high air quality was maintained throughout construction, and continues to be maintained.
All windows in work areas are operable allowing for fresh air intake.

Innovation & Design Process:
We initiated a “Green Cleaning” protocol, including the use of nontoxic cleaners such as anolyte and catholyte, to protect well-being of employees.
The co-op purchased a green-power supplemental credit (35% is standard; Seward purchased an additional 35%, for a total of 70%).

Additional data about Seward Co-op’s environmental impact can be found online: http://seward.coop/coop/scorecard/environment

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

In fiscal year 2014, 39% ($11,863,573) of total co-op sales were local.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We rely heavily on our P6 program in sourcing high quality products made by small-scale farmers/producers and cooperatives. The goal is to increase market access for small farmers and co-ops, build cooperative supply chains, and ultimately change the food system for the better.

More detailed information available: http://seward.coop/resources/p6

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

“(This list is not comprehensive. It does give an idea of the extent to which Seward Co-op strives to develop relationships with local producers store wide.)

Yes! When we cater on-site events, we use tap or purified water. We do offer bottled water with our boxed lunches, but purchase water in recycled bottles from local Clean Water Works, which uses tap water that has been purified thru a reverse osmosis system.

7. If one of your servers was asked where a given menu item had come from, could he or she accurately cite the source?

Yes! Our menus change frequently, but are all source specific.

8. Is the poultry that you serve free range as much of the year as possible? (Cite your supplier)

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

100% Thousand Hills Cattle Co.

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

100% Prairie Pride Pork, Lucky Pig Pork

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

100%. we will not purchase meat that has hormones or antibiotics.

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

We use a shared kitchen space at the Midtown Global Market to pool resources and reduce our impact. All of our packaging is recyclable, compostable or reusable. For delivery, we use Green Light Transfer when possible. They deliver by bike for reasonable distances, and by hybrid vehicle for longer distances/inclement weather. We also try to group deliveries to reduce impact.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources — please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

80-90%. We try really hard to use seasonal, local items on our menu. We also buy from local vendors, such as Produce Exchange, Co-Op Partners, Grass Roots Gourmet, Thousand Hills, etc.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We try very hard to purchase from sustainable sources, and work with our vendors to source products that they are knowledgeable about.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Coffee filters are chlorine free, as are brown bags. Energy efficient light bulbs. Used furniture and equipment — recycled wood floors, used fixtures. Always conserve water. Reduced or waste-free catering since 1989. Recycle all we can. Local suppliers. We offer 5% discount if you bring your own container since 1989. Donate all left over food to Peace House and Food Shelf.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

70-80%, depending on the season.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

As much as we can determine about the source we use organic and natural — we used United Natural Goods for dry goods.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

Also: other Trotter’s events and commitments include:
Hosting community and neighborhood events.
Local art rotates monthly on the walls.
Locals night every Saturday, with live music and discounts.
Promote biking and walking to Trotter’s and elsewhere.
Employes donate over half tips to area (mostly) organizations.

1. How much of your meat (in terms of a rough percentage of meat-based menu items) is:

a. Grass/hay fed? (Name the rancher and, if possible, the approximate percentage of diet that comes from grass/hay.)

n/a

b. Pasture raised from birth to market, weather permitting?

n/a

c. Hormone/antibiotic free?

n/a

2. What efforts have you take to reduce your carbon footprint and environmental footprint?

Chlorine-free products, source as much local (everything) as possible, seasonal juice flavors and we recycle. We used to donate our pulp/fiber to a local fish farmer and we’re currently seeking other ways to make use of the scraps. All of our sampling cups are biodegradable.

3. What proportion of the restaurant’s food supply comes from locally grown sources – please use a rough percentage of menu items. We’re defining “local” as Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa and Wisconsin.

70% in the summer/fall and only 10% in the winter months.

4. For specialty ingredients that cannot be sourced locally, what efforts have been made to purchase from sustainable sources?

We only purchase 100% organic produce/nuts and we work with Co-op Partners Warehouse.

5. List some or all of the local farmers / brewers / cheesemakers that you work with, listing the suppliers from whom you purchase most frequently first.

None currently as we source all produce from Co-op Partners Warehouse in the winter. They source from local. Last year we purchased from local organic farmers – many of whom are present at Mill City Farmers Market and/or Linden Hills Farmer’s Market. We haven’t determined which local farms we will source from this summer.

Do you use any bike or otherwise environmentally friendly delivery services?

Christian, to answer your question — a blank spot is either a negative response or an unanswered question. Not everyone (obviously) can say yes to all the questions, so this lets us do a bit of comparison.

The ? is for questions that have been half answered affirmatively, or not thoroughly supported by evidence. Again, not every restaurant can thoroughly document or completely satisfy every question’s requirements, and that’s fine.

This Atlas is a starting point — for consideration, discussion, and further research — and with Y / N / ?, we are trying to quickly render a summary without overwhelming people with data, letting the full questionnaires answer stuff in more detail.

Hopefully we can continue to build upon it and improve it as we go. Thanks to everyone for the comments and queries. Keep ’em coming.

I can tell you why Linden Hills Co-op has a “?” in the Ethical Meat column–I’m the member services manager, not the meat manager, so I don’t know which of our meats are pasture-raised, which are grass-finished or grass-fed, and which,if any, are finished on corn. I was so excited about being included to wait until I could get the details from Tom, the meat guy.

Rather than say something that *might* not be correct, I didn’t answer the question completely. All our meat and poultry is locally-raised and free-range. Some is pasture-raised and/or grass-fed, and some is certified organic. None of it comes from CAFOs–that I am certain of. It might take me a few days to list which farms are which, as the question asks.

Many thanks to Heavy Table for doing this! At the co-op, we get lots of requests for restaurant recommendations, so this is a great help.

I think you answered your own question here — shoot me an email when you’ve got a more detailed sense of the status of your various meat offerings, and I’ll be happy to update your questionnaire and the corresponding mark in the grid. Thanks!

AWESOME! Is this for all of MN? Can we include southeastern MN? If I send this link to places down here and they participate, will they be posted? Pleeeeaaaase say yes! Can there be a “Greater Minnesota” section?????

As a person who’s interested in sustainable agriculture, I appreciate this effort.

It brings to mind the Minneapolis-based Green Routes project (a project of Renewing the Countryside).

Here’s a bit more about their project:

“Green Routes will help you discover small, unique businesses that are rooted in their communities; places to eat where the food is not only fresh from a family farm, but where you might bump into the farmers who grew it; places to have fun while helping to ensure that our natural and cultural resources will be around for many generations to come. Green Routes gives you a way to incorporate your values into your travels. It makes it easy to find fun and rich experiences and places.” – http://journeys.greenroutes.org/about.php

I am surprised by these answers… Having eaten, worked at or delivered product to all the places on this list it is frustrating to see the lack of honesty in some these answers. I fear that more and more the idea of local, sustainable and environmentally conscious food production is becoming a marketing tool rather than a matter of ethical business practice.

I’ve got to say, I’m not fond of the word “ethical” being used in this context.

Is it more ethical to eat at Common Roots, or at some immigrant-run place on Lake Street that might not have the resources for LEED certification or the money to pay a living wage, but still provides employment for new Minnesotans who might not yet have the English skills to work elsewhere?

Alternately, is it more ethical to spend $25 at Barbette or spend $5 at McDonalds and donate the remaining $20 to feed the needy? There are many ways to eat “ethically”, if that’s something one chooses to be concerned about.

In the way you’re using it, “ethical” seems to be an attempt to valorize the consumer choices of an largely affluent, educated demographic group. Not only do “ethical eaters” have better taste, you imply, they also have better values.

You have to try the coffee directly from my family farm, this is better than fair trade, shade grown. We are in mill city farmers market,kingfield, shoreview and st. paul winter farmers market. See the website.

Please add Black Sheep coal fired pizza to the list of interviewees. Last time I visited their meat suppliers were not local but were small farm sources; they were very honest in answering all my questions.

John, since this questionnaire was completed, we have indeed found a local source for chicken and pork – through Hidden Stream Farm in Elgin, MN and we source free range turkey from Ferndale Farm in Cannon Falls. We continue to find ways to move more locally – more easily these days – perhaps thanks to the efforts of the food community to keep pushing for more!

Totally fair point, Tyler. Part of the problem is that we hit a plateau of buy-in from the obvious local businesses, and we now have to go into enterprise mode to pry surveys out of people we don’t know about or who aren’t as interested in participating. But we’ll work on it.

I just sent the link for the survey to my favorite restaurant a couple weeks ago. I hope to send out more in the next month! This is a great resource and we need to let restaurants know it is important to us to have this info!